By Garry Blanson “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905 It’s amazing how not being born during a certain era can keep Black people in Monroe, Louisiana, from…
Author: Free Press
The tassel is worth the trouble
By Rusty Potter Across the state, graduation caps are being tossed into the air. Families are cheering, and cameras are flashing. Graduation season is more than a ceremony. It is proof that perseverance still works. Last week, I wrote about…
A Godly-Mother’s greatest joy is God fearing children
By Lisa Wilmore As I watched my daughter walk across the stage to receive her Master’s degree in Public and Educational Policy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville TN, it was truly a proud moment. What made the occasion even…
The Choir Stand Pulpit
A Weekly Column for Musicians and Song Leaders MOTHER’S DAY EDITION • MAY 10, 2026 What Mama Hummed, the Choir Stand Must Carry When a preacher testifies in past tense, the musician answers in present tense — a real-time reflection…
Blacks must vote now more than ever!
In the halls of Baton Rouge, a quiet eraser is moving across the map of our state. For decades, the fight for fair representation in Louisiana has been a marathon, not a sprint. But today, the finish line is being…
Our City, Our Community
By Marie Brown 8,538 early votes were cast in Ouachita Parish for the May 16 election for the US Senate and House candidates, amendments, and Monroe City 2 tax propositions. The demographics voting consisted of 5,242 whites, 3,096 blacks, and…
Take that bass out of your voice!
Dear Editor, This era of time brings out of us the Good and the Bad doesn’t it? I want to focus on language or should I say the “tone” of the language when we are engaged in conversation with one…